Improvement in sxtb-base reed-organ couplers



tiltted mes tiateltt dtylilte.

Letters Patent No. 103,019, dated May 17, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN SUB-BASE REED-ORGAN CO'U'PLEL'RS.v

The Schedule rofen'od to in these Letters Patent and. making part of the same I, GEORGE Cook,-- of N ew Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Sub-Base Couplers for. Reed-Organs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to' improvements iu certain mechanism employed to connect the keys one with another, and with thev valves of the organ, in such manner that any given tone and its octave, or any other intervals that may be desired .on the same keyboard, may be played at one andthe same time by pressing a single key; and

My improvement consists ot' a direct and `positive connection between the keys ot' the principal, the keys of the octave, aud the latter keys with the common and sub-base valves, by means ot' which thel keys of the octave are pulled down, and the common and subbase valves, connected with said octave keys, are opened by a positive connection, on pressing the principal keys, which could not be effected with certainty, when the keys of the. octave are permitted to act only, by falling, by their own gravity, for operating theoctave valves of the organ, as I will further explain by reference to the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a top view of a portion of a key-board of an organ, showing some ofthe keys, and their connection, one with another, and with the-valves of the organ also, the lever for elevating and depressing the diagonal bars;

Figure 2, a front elevation of same;

Figure 3, a longitudinal section;

Figure 4,-a transverse section;

Figure 5, -a view of the coupler in action g and Figure (i, a view. 0f the coupler thrown out ofaction by dropping the diagonal bars away from the principal keys.

Iu the said drawings- A indicates the key-board of' a reed-organ B B B, the principal keys; and

-C CC, the octave keys.

I) D' are the common valves placed below the keyboard;

E E are the sub-base valves; and

F F' F are the diagonal rods attached at their iuuer ends to, and sustained by a sliding bar, G, which is made to slide up and down, bringing the diagonal rods F in contact with or away from the principal keys B, by means of the hand-lever G', (see figs. 2 and 3.)

These diagonal rods are provided at their forward ends with heut arms H, which enter circular holes I, in the Iblocks K, attached to the octave-keys C.

The principal keys B, when the coupler is in act-ion, rest part-ly on the common valve-rods M, and partly upon the diagonal rods F, through their jacks L.

The oct-ave keys C, through their blocks K, rest ou the ends of the diagonal rods F, said rods resting on the octave valve-rods M.

These octave keys C are' provided, near their inner ends, with headed posts N, the necks ot' which are embraced by the bifurcated ends O of the sub-base valve-levers P, said levers being sustained on fulcrums R, and havingr slots and steady-pins S, (see figs. l and 4.)

Now, by pressing on one of the principal keys B, the said key will bear on the valve-rodM, opening the valve D, and said key will, at the same time, through its jack L, bear down thediagonal rod F, when said rod, being connected with the octave key O by its bent arm H and block K, attached to said key, will positively draw down the octave key C, said key C, iu turn, through its block K, pressing down the rod M, opening the octave valve D', and, at the same time, thc said key C, through its post N, will positively draw down and tilt the bif'urcated valve-lever P, opening thc sub-base valve E.

In this manner the principal, octave, and sub-base valves are operated, ou touching a single key of the principal, and when it may be' desired to play the iustrument without the combination, the diagonal rods are slid away from the octave keys.

I do not claim coupling the principal and octave keys of an organ or luelodeou b v means of diagonal rods, -for such is not new; but

That I do claim, is The bent arms H upon the coupling-levers F, when combined with the sub-base valves E, keys B 'and C, and adjustable slide G', substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my signature this 15th day of February, 1870. y

\Vitnesses: GEORGE COOK.

HENRY ROGERS, ARTHUR L. Howe. 

